Best Disneyland Quick-Service Restaurants

There are eight wonderful lands found within Disneyland. Within those realms of enchantment, you'll find attractions, characters and—one of our favorite things—delicious food choices. Every trip, we like to hop over to one of our favorite Disneyland quick-service restaurants to grab a bite of tasty food to refuel and recharge. Restaurants and offerings are always changing, and we toadally love to try new dishes and restaurants. Here are a few of our old time favorites and new ones too!

Best Disneyland Quick-Service Restaurants

Royal St. Veranda

Located just outside of Pirates of the Caribbean, the Royal St. Veranda has a sign saying, "Try our Gumbo," and yes, we recommend you do! This is a great spot to get gumbo (beef or vegetarian) or clam chowder (Chowda for our Boston readers) in a bread bowl. If you are drooling for clam chowder, but the line is long, try the Harbour Galley, a nearby less-frequented option across from the Haunted Mansion and near the dock for Sailing Ship Columbia. In addition to the chowder in a bread bowl, you'll find good eats such as tuna sandwiches, more soups, salad and a lobster roll. Bonus—Harbor Galley will usually have half the wait time!

Jolly Holiday Bakery Café

Come parade time, Lily loves to hop into the Jolly Holiday for a Jolly Holiday Combo: a very tasty toasted cheese sandwich and tomato soup. For our family, it is a great deal because it is big enough for Lily and Mommy Frog to share! There are also other delicious deli sandwiches and treats. We like to get there before well a parade so we can watch the parade go by as we eat. No wonder that it's Jolly Holiday Bakery Café that we love!

Bengal Barbecue

If you need more than a snack but aren’t looking for quite a full meal, then the best deal to fill you up (and on a budget too!) is the Bengal Barbecue. Its sweet or spicy beef, chicken or bacon-wrapped asparagus skewers are packed with protein and flavor. We covered these in our blog post on the best food and drink for under $5.

Galactic Grill

Star Wars fans will get a galactic blast out of this Star Wars-themed restaurant. Tad enjoys getting a seat before the Jedi Training so he can watch the show. There's ample seating outside at the restaurant. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The dishes are all inspired by Star Wars characters. Chees-3PO burger anyone? How about a Jedi Order Chicken Sandwich or Wicket’s Wicked Veggie Wrap (Yub Nub)? The specialty drinks light up, but you’ll have to choose a side: The Light Side comes with a light-up Millennium Falcon and the Dark Side offers a Death Star.

Red Rockett’s Pizza Port

Just across from the Galactic Grill is Pizza Port, which also offers a few out-of-this-world dishes and souvenir sippers. The pizza and pasta options are great if you're tired of burgers and fries. We're big on their greens—colorful salads. Leap loves the Planetary Pizza Salad. They also share some of Galactic Grill’s Star Wars-inspired desserts such as BB-8 Crisped Rice Treat, Chewbacca Cheesecake and Darth by Chocolate.

Rancho del Zocalo

For a taste of local Mexican food, check out Rancho del Zocolo for enchiladas, burritos, tacos or salad. This is a hidden gem because it serves a filling and tasty breakfast. When the tadpoles are bored of chicken tenders and mac and cheese, perhaps a bean and cheese burrito or chicken taco will hit the spot. Toddlers can even enjoy arroz con pollo. By the way—check out our toddler tips on bringing a baby to Disneyland to make your day with your little one a sweet success.

Golden Horseshoe/Stage Door Café

Hello everybody, we're mighty glad to meet you, here at the Golden Horseshoe! If chicken fingers and French fries are a must for your tadpole, Lily recommends the Golden Horseshoe or the Stage Door Café where you can also get fish and chips. Hint: The food is similar at both locations, which share a kitchen, so check for the shortest line. Golden Horseshoe also offers chili, whereas Stage Door can also supply you with corn dogs. Outside seating has a view of the water, but if seating is full, head inside the Golden Horseshoe and up the stairs. You can almost always find free tables upstairs and you might even catch a show while you dine. Save room for ice cream sundaes in the Golden Horseshoe.

Red Rose Taverne

The newest quick-service restaurant is the Red Rose Taverne in Fantasyland. This restaurant is Beauty and the Beast-themed and filled with murals, furniture and special details such as stacks of dishes and rose stained glass windows. This magical transformation of the Pinocchio Village Haus to Red Rose Taverne is only temporary, but the décor and positive response will probably allow this re-theming to stick around for a while. Anyway, the unique food and treats are why you want to hop in and BE THEIR GUEST. (LEAP'S NOTE: Yes, it's Blogging Law that we need to include that line when we mention BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and food.) With enchanted Cauli-Flower Sandwiches, slow cooked beef poutine and tasty flatbreads, the food features a French flair. It also offers a 1/3 pound Beast’s burger with Pommes Frites. Wash down the yummy with Gaston’s Famous Brew—an apple-mango punch topped with passion fruit foam. For dessert, the dishes recommend the Lemon Rose Cake. Try the Grey Stuff Gateau (a white chocolate mousse and red velvet cake with a raspberry center). IT'S DELICIOUS.

Plaza Inn

If you want some of the tastiest fried chicken you’ve ever had, then hop on into the Plaza Inn. This buffet-style restaurant also offers other comfort foods such as pot roast, pasta and a healthy sustainable fish option. In the morning it offers character dining breakfast. Be sure to make reservations if you want to attend character dining.

No matter what your family likes to eat, you are sure to find something for everybody no matter what land you find yourselves in. Most locations offer kid meals and toddler meals in addition to food for taller family members.

The Frog Family has found these to be the best Disneyland quick-service restaurants, but if you have a different favorite we have missed we would love to hear about it. Share in comments below!